Consultants Defend Council Following National Media Coverage

The association of consultants working within the golf industry has responded to national media coverage of a report which criticised a city council for spending £2,400 on golf consultancy

John Ashworth

services. The coverage was part of a polemic against perceived ‘council waste’, which, according to the report, included £2,100 of taxpayer money spent on economic impact assessments for a ‘clown festival’, £8,500 for a ‘pantomime strategy’, and £5,000 to ‘develop a secondary colour palette’ for a re-brand.

But Golf Business International, whose members are all consultants to the golf sector, defended Derby Council’s £2,400 expenditure consulting on the number of golf courses to satisfy the town’s demand.

John Ashworth, chairman of Golf Business International, said: “While none of our members were involved in this particular consultation, I would imagine the information would have been crucial to Derby council’s future provision of golf courses.

“Golf courses are not cheap to maintain and municipal courses have traditionally served the needs of a particular segment of the golfing market. Where supply outstrips demand in that segment, a responsible council has a duty to review and, if necessary, to rationalise its level of provision. Understanding the balance of supply and demand for golf is a specialist skill which councils are right to buy in from outside.

“Rather than criticise the council, I think it should be praised for engaging outside expertise in order to provide the best possible return for both its tax-payers and golfers in the region.”

Golf Business International, formed in 1999 as the Golf Consultants Association, is unique in the UK in its ability to make available a team of highly respected and experienced golf industry professionals to deal with any aspect of the business of golf through from conception to end.

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